Moonstruck
by Diana the Burninator
Summary: In "merry olde england," London's children have a secret they keep from their parents. A joyful night only Delirium could create.


Author's Note: This is one of a group of stories I wrote a few years back, which I've finally decided to post here. Like I said, they're not very recent, so don't expect anything profoundly wonderful, but I hope the readers here enjoy them.  
  
Disclaimer: Delirium and all Sandman characters are the creations of Neil Gaiman and Mike Dringenberg and trademarks of DC Comics and Vertigo. This is a labor of love, and no money is being made off of it. Yadda, yadda, yadda...  
  
On with the show!  
_________________________________________________________________  
  
The embers in the heart crackled, little sparks jumping onto the dirt floor. It was lucky that the straw didn't catch on fire. A child poked the orange glowing coals with a long metal rod, trying to extract as much heat out of them as she could. She trembled slightly and pulled the ragged blanket tighter around her shoulders. Her mother and father's two thin faces seemed to radiate with the weak light as they clung to each other, grabbing for body heat in the chilly night. Their eyes were both closed, their daughter hoped in good dreams.  
  
There was a rapping on the window of the little cottage. The little girl went to see who it was, leaving her covers behind. She peeked through the glass and, by the flickering light from the fading fire, could just barely make out the face of Fern. "It is time," she mouthed to her friend inside the little English hut. Kiara nodded, understanding perfectly.  
  
The girl, who couldn't have been older than seven, checked once more on her parents sleeping beside the hearth and decided that they wouldn't notice her absence. Dressed in her nicest tunic for the Dances, she slipped out the door. Fern met her outside.  
  
Kiara jumped up and down with joy. "The Lady has come back tonight?"  
  
Fern nodded enthusiastically at her friend. "Yes! Just like she said she would!"  
  
Thought crossed Kiara's face, and she asked, "Should we get the others?"  
  
"Of course!" She grabbed the girl's hand and led her to another little dwelling in the town.  
  
Fern and Kiara took turns plinking little pebbles off of the rather high windows. Finally, one of them opened up, and the head of a small boy appeared. He rubbed his tired eyes. "What is it?"  
  
"Geoffrey," Kiara called up, "she's back!"  
  
"Really?" He quickly shut the windows and ran down to meet them, adjusting his quickly thrown-on trousers. "Let's go!"  
  
For over an hour, children all over London were awakened, hearing the news of the Lady's return. The gathering grew and grew and wandered the streets, tapping on windows and knocking on doors. By the time the whole group was assembled, it was nearing the Witching Hour.  
  
Finally, they arrived at their spot in the center of town. The full moon shone down on everything, reflecting her light in the little puddles of rain water which littered the place. And there, in the middle of it all, stood the Lady. She was walking around, dipping her toes in the pools of moonlight and turning them rainbow colors.  
  
Little Fern ran up to her excitedly. "Lady! I brought them here! Just like you asked!"  
  
The figure raised her mismatched eyes to the group of children, and she smiled a wonderful wide smile. The Lady ran up to all of them, her multicolored tresses flowing behind her in waves. "Hi, everyone! I'm so so so so glad you could all come! What do you want to do? We could listen to the worms sing or watch the sky turn into wigglies...!" The Lady stopped looked at them, as if she had forgotten where she was, and chewed on her pinky.  
  
Kiara spoke up. "We came for the Dances, Lady! Like last time!"  
  
The Lady's face lit up...literally...and she clapped with glee! "Yay! Now, we can all prance and dance and prance, under the face of the moon!" She did a cart wheel and landed on her behind, forcing incessant giggles out of her. "Just like last time!"  
  
The children split up and began to run around the square, laughing and screaming. The children that had worn shoes and slippers to the meeting kicked them off in the frenzy. One-by-one, the Lady caught each of them and gave them a kiss on the forehead. Under the moonlight, the children of the town danced like mad men.  
  
Any adult watching would call them "moonstruck," but they knew it was just the Lady. The beautiful Lady who brought them colors and madness and joy on the nights of the full moon. The Lady giggled and twirled as her play friends scampered in circles around her.  
  
She urged them on and only stopped herself when she saw two figures approach. The Lady knew that the others couldn't see them. They might have if not for the spell of lunacy that she had cast over all of them. The two dark figures neared the children, the light fog of the night only allowing their dark shadows to show through.  
  
She ran up to them, recognition bubbling out of her ears. "Brother! Sister! I knew you'd come! You're really here! That is, unless you aren't, but I know you are because I see you!" She collapsed in her big sister's arms.  
  
"Hello, Del," she greeted warmly. "Having fun?"  
  
Delirium hugged Death and looked up at her pale face. The moon reflected in her dark, kind eyes. "Oh, yes! All my friends are together, and we're DANCING!" She did a twirl, her orange, yellow, and silver hair swirling around her small shoulders. She stopped, a blank look on her face, and asked her excitedly, "Would you like to join?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Del," Death apologized, "but I just stopped by to see how you were doing. Full moons always make a busy night for me, it seems." Giving her a quick pat on the head, the darkly dressed woman gestured at the silent man beside her. "Maybe you can convince brother Dream to accompany you."  
  
Del turned to her older brother and sucked on a lock of green hair. "Would you dance with me, Dream?"  
  
His face remained solemn. "I am afraid not, my sister."  
  
"What?" A pink tear trickled down Del's cheek. She quickly shook it off and returned to her bubbly state. "We could have so much fun! I could teach you how!"  
  
"I shall be content to watch," he replied.  
  
Death interjected. "I'm afraid that I have to go. Have fun, Del, and don't stay out too late." She smiled again and ruffled Delirium's wavy, sky blue tresses. Turning to their brother, she whispered, "Try to have a little fun, okay? Good bye, little brother." The woman quickly became a smudge on the surface of reality and twinkled away to her next appointment.  
  
"I have to go back to them," Del said. "They're waiting!" She half-skipped and half-floated off into the circle of dancing children.  
  
The Dances continued until the rays of the waking sun began to drive off his sister to the edge of the world. The light entered the children's eyes, bringing them back their senses. One by one, they began to go back to their beds, the sweet taste of ecstasy melting into their tongues.  
  
"No! Come back, or I'll...I'll turn you all into little black toadstools, and no one will love you ever again!" she threatened emptily. As one child began to walk off, she chased after him, only to be distracted by the sight of a little girl abandoning the celebration.  
  
Finally, there were only two left. They came up to the Lady.  
  
"I am sorry, Lady," said Kiara softly, "but we must go."  
  
"Yes," Fern agreed. "We will meet again when the moon looks down upon us with both eyes once more. The Dances were lovely." Both girls curtsied to the youngest of the Endless and started down their individual paths, hoping to reach home before both their parents woke up.  
  
Del began to chase after them in desperation, wanting it to go on forever, when she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. She tried to escape it, but it held firm.  
  
"Let them go," came Dream's calm voice. "It is over."  
  
Del crossed her arms and pouted. "I don't want it to end! We were having so much fun with the moon and the water and my friends and you and Death...." Her voice trickled to a stop, and she swished it around in her mouth before speaking again. "I don't want it to be over!"  
  
"It has to end, my sister." He took her small hand and led her away from the square. "You have something to look forward to."  
  
"Okay..." She grinned her demented, innocent grin. "Can we go to your realm and play with dream things until then?"  
  
"I do not see why you cannot visit me. Come." He drew a door in the air with his finger and led her through it. They disappeared into the Dreaming.  
  
The sun rose above London and shone through the town's windows. A new day began.  
_________________________________________________________________  
  
Story Notes: Delirium is fun to write. That is all. 


End file.
